Bakkies on broken bones in France: ‘Brutal’ but he loved it

Bakkies Botha was known as the Springbok enforcer but came into his own during his time in France with Toulon.

In an interview with RMC Sport, Botha went into detail about his time in France and why he thrived.

Broken bones for Bakkies

“I like the physical and brutal side of this game. I love it,” Botha said.

 “The more stitches and broken bones, the more I liked it. But I must confess today that my years in Toulon were the ones where I had the most injuries in my career.

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“Matt Giteau told me not long ago that he remembers a kick-off in Agen and that he heard like the sound of a machine gun – I had broken my arm. In another game, I had a skull fracture.

“But that’s rugby … it’s hard and brutal.

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“That’s why I came to France because I had seen a lot of Top 14 videos and when the weather is wet, you can’t escape easily.”

The 85-Test cap Springbok played for Toulon between 2011 and 2015. He played 73 times for the side winning three Champions Cup titles and one Top 14 trophy.

“In the Top 14, the rugby suited me like a glove. It was a little slower than in Super 12, but it was much more physical and brutal. It was hard.

“That’s what I liked in Toulon. The Top 14 is a brutal competition, and you have to be at your best physical level to make the difference.”

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The Real Madrid of Rugby

The Springbok star was not the only South African to shine at the mega-rich Toulon after calling time on his career with the Bulls.

He formed part of a formidable ex-pat lineup in France which included leading wing Bryan Habana and flankers Juan Smith and Danie Rossouw.

“Coming to a club like Toulon was just the icing on the cake,” added Botha.

Some of the world’s leading stars all arrived at Toulon at the same time to make it the Real Madrid version of a rugby team.

“Meeting Jonny Wilkinson, Carl Hayman, Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell … one of the reasons I came was to discover Carl Hayman, who was already playing here. I still think today that he was one of the best tightheads in the world. And beyond the magnificent climate here, the sea, the environment, I wanted to play with Carl Hayman.

“I came here to play in a team where all the players were my enemies. They all played against me before, and then you arrive in Toulon, and you all have to play together. That’s what was special for me because the last three years of my career ended on a good note.”

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